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Published on: April 13, 2010
Bronchial hyperresponsiveness in patients with cholinergic urticaria
Konstantinos Petalas1, Kalliopi Kontou-Fili, Christina Gratziou
1Allergology Department, 251 Air Force Hospital, Athens, Greece. kpetalas@hotmail
Summary
Cholinergic urticaria patients show significantly higher bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR). This study suggests BHR evaluation and provides a formula to predict it based on symptom intensity and duration.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Allergy and Immunology
- Dermatology
Background:
- Cholinergic urticaria (CU) is sometimes linked to bronchospasm, even without a prior asthma diagnosis.
- The exact mechanism connecting CU and bronchospasm remains unclear.
- Investigating bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) in CU patients is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare BHR in patients with cholinergic urticaria against healthy adults and those with chronic urticaria.
- To identify potential predictors for BHR in cholinergic urticaria.
Main Methods:
- A study group of 30 CU patients with positive ergometric tests was evaluated.
- Control groups included 15 chronic urticaria patients and 14 healthy volunteers.
- Bronchial hyperresponsiveness was assessed using a methacholine challenge test for all participants.
Main Results:
- 43% of CU patients (13/30) exhibited BHR, significantly higher than chronic urticaria (7%) and healthy controls (7%).
- Two distinct CU subpopulations were identified based on symptom intensity and duration with 96.7% accuracy.
- A significant correlation was observed between age, disease duration, and symptom intensity/frequency.
Conclusions:
- Bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) assessment should be considered for patients diagnosed with cholinergic urticaria.
- A predictive formula utilizing symptom duration and intensity for BHR in CU is proposed.
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